We will be rolling out plenty of 2010 fantasy baseball coverage in the coming days, weeks and months, but let’s start right here with player-by-player profiles of our rough top 100 preseason rankings. Stay tuned to the site for more player profiles, draft kit information, rankings, sleepers, busts, etc. as Spring Training approaches.

Jake Peavy, SP, Chicago White Sox
Overview: 28-year-old right-hander looking to re-claim his place among fantasy’s best pitchers … is in his first full season with the White Sox, where he went 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA in 3 starts last season … is as hungry as he’s been in his career, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, but embarks on a full season in a hitter’s park … when healthy, is a Cy Young candidate and one of baseball’s top strikeout artists.
2009 numbers: 9-6, 3.45 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 110 strikeouts in 101.2 IP
Key splits and trends: Missed time with an ankle injury and an elbow injury after getting hit with a line drive in a minor league rehab start … gave up at least 3 runs in each of his first 5 starts and finished the month of April with a 5.74 ERA … went 7-1 over his final 8 starts, including a 3-0 mark with the White Sox.
Strengths: Is a premium source of strikeouts and ratios … has swing-and-miss stuff and consistently ranks among the Major League’s most difficult pitchers to hit … finally lands on a team that will provide decent run support.
Weaknesses: Unknowns count as strikes against him, most notably the transition to the American League and how he’ll fare in a hitter’s park.
Bold prediction for 2010: Handles the AL just fine and finishes in the top five of Cy Young balloting.

The standard for excellence at second base can be summed up in one sentence. Chase Utley, and then everybody else. This year’s crop is much stronger than in years past, but there remains a steep drop between Utley and No. 2 second sacker Ian Kinsler. Kinsler is a quality second-round choice in standard fantasy drafts, but still has question marks about health and that .253 average from last season.

The prototypical fantasy second baseman hits for high average, scores runs and puts up competitive numbers across the board. Beyond Utley, who provides big-time production in all these areas, the second tier of second basemen goes seven deep. In order, Utley, Kinsler, Brandon Phillips, Dustin Pedroia, Brian Roberts, Aaron Hill and Robinson Cano all will produce at a very solid level. Read more »